Malaysia in final stage of talks with Covid-19 vaccine manufacturers

Through Covax, Malaysia will obtain enough vaccine for 10 per cent of the population.- Reuters

KUALA LUMPUR (Bloomberg): Malaysia has contacted ten manufacturers whose coronavirus vaccines are at Phase 3 of the clinical trials, said Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin in Parliament on Monday (Nov 16).

He said several negotiations have reached the final stage and an agreement will be reached soon.

The talks cover cooperation in various stages of vaccine development such as R&D, exchange of scientists, development of fill and finish (technology transfer, logistics, cold chain), and purchase of vaccines.

Through Covax, Malaysia will obtain enough vaccine for 10 per cent of the population. The government is working on obtaining another 60 per cent to enable herd immunity in the country.

It is also working on getting access to the vaccines as early as the first or second quarter of next year.